Town of Herndon officials are exploring ways to build more affordable housing in a jurisdiction that has few legal options for boosting its housing stock.
In an effort to fill the void of affordable housing, the town hopes a third party consultant can help it analyze and develop a policy plan for affordable housing.
At a Herndon Town Council meeting on Oct. 15, zoning administrator David Stromberg said the town plans to hire a consultant to research, analyze and develop a policy, comprehensive amendment and associated zoning changes to beef up the town’s affordable housing.
The analysis could take up to two years and would include an evaluation of the possibility of building affordable housing on town property. Unlike Fairfax County, the town has no statutory authority to mandate the inclusion of workforce or affordable housing units in new developments.
Stromberg noted that a third-party analysis is critical in order to ensure that the town’s affordable housing strategy, once penciled into action, is not overturned.
Councilmember Cesar del Aguila said he wants the town to find ways to “accelerate” its planning, noting that the current strategy would take five to 10 years for implementation.
The Town of Herndon has three options to incorporate affordable housing. The least desirable, Stromberg says, is incorporating affordable housing units through development proffers, which would make their inclusion dependent entirely on the developer’s discretion.
“The Fairfax County [Redevelopment and] Housing Authority will not administer affordable dwelling units that are dedicated to the town through proffers,” Stromberg said, citing a partnership that is critical for the town, which lacks its own housing authority.
The second option — allowing bonus density in exchange for affordable housing units — is possible but also depends on developer demands and external factors affecting the financial market. Also, density bonuses may not be enough of an incentive to encourage affordable housing.
The third option is to build affordable housing on town-owned land, a commodity that is limited and would require significant investment from the town.
Council members asked for more information about the scope of the consultant’s work, including what properties might be evaluated and the overall scope of the work.
Town staff plan to seek permission to hire a consultant at the council’s next meeting. Hiring the consultant would likely cost between $200,000 to $300,000, according to Stromberg.
